The harvest festival of Tamilians, Pongal or Thai Pongal, observed for four days in the second week of January, falls on Saturday, January 14. Pongal is a compulsory holiday this year.
Pongal means "overflowing" or "boiling over" in Tamil, and as part of the festival women will boil milk in fresh pots, apart from cleaning and decorating homes and drawing rangoli (decorative patterns) on the floor using rice flour. The festival is observed to thank Surya, the Sun God, for bringing prosperity in the life of people. Pongal coincides with Makar Sankranti, Lohri and Bihu, celebrated in other states.
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What's so special about Pongal?
The highlight of the festival is a sweet dish, also called pongal, and is made of rice, cardamom, jaggery, green gram, cashew nuts and raisins.
Bhogi
On the first day of the festival, unused things will be thrown into fire and girls will be dancing and singing around it praising the God.
Thai Pongal
It is the most important day of the four-day festival when womenfolk boil milk in new pots, and prepare the sweet dish pongal along with murukku, vadai and payasam. People decorate and draw rangoli patterns at their homes on this day.
Mattu Pongal
The third day of the festival is dedicated to cows, as they are the main source of income for Tamilians. The animals will be fed with pongal, jaggery, banana, honey and fruits. The controversial bull-fight festival Jallikkattu is also observed on this day.
Kannum Pongal
The end of Pongal festivities is marked with Kannum Pongal when people spend time together with their family and visit their relatives and friends.
